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Most founders know at least one person who knows an independent insurance agent. Their agent, their cousin who runs an agency, a former coworker who went into P&C. These templates make it easy for friends to say yes and forward you in one step.

All guidesFor founders of a CRM for independent insurance agents

1. The broad ask to close friends

Subject: Quick favor, do you know an insurance agent? Hey [name], I'm building a CRM for independent insurance agents, the folks who sell home, auto and life from multiple carriers. I'm trying to talk to 10 of them this month to learn how they track renewals and follow-ups. Do you know one? Could be your own agent. A 15-minute call is all I'm after, nothing to buy. Thanks, [your name]. Use this first with the 10 to 20 people who would reply to you within a day.

2. Ask friends about their own agent

Subject: Who handles your car insurance? Hi [name], random question. Do you use a local independent agent for your home or car insurance, not GEICO or State Farm direct? I'm building software for agents like that and want to hear how they run their book. If you like yours, would you mind texting them this: "My friend [your name] is building a tool for independent agents and would love 15 minutes of your advice. OK if I share your number?" Thanks, [your name]. Use this with friends who own homes or cars, since most of them already have an agent and never think of that as a contact.

3. The forwardable blurb

Subject: Short note you can forward Thanks for offering to connect me. Here's a blurb you can paste: "[Agent name], my friend [your name] is building a CRM for independent agencies. Think renewals, cross-sell reminders and policy notes in one place, not a generic sales tool. They're asking agency owners and producers for 15 minutes of honest feedback, nothing to buy. Open to a quick call? [your email / calendar link]" Send this right after someone says "sure, I know one" so they don't have to write anything.

4. Old coworkers who moved into insurance

Subject: Saw you're at [agency name] now Hi [name], saw on LinkedIn that you're a [producer / account manager / CSR] at [agency name]. Congrats. I'm building a CRM for independent agencies and I'd value 15 minutes on how your team tracks renewals and X-dates today, especially whatever lives in your AMS like Applied Epic or HawkSoft versus spreadsheets. If you're not the right person, who at the agency owns the software decisions? Thanks, [your name]. Find these people by searching LinkedIn for your past employers plus "insurance agency", "producer" or "account manager".

5. Ask a friend for an intro to an agency owner

Subject: Intro to [owner name]? Hey [name], you mentioned [owner name] runs [agency name]. Would you be up for a quick email intro? I'm talking to independent agency owners about how they keep producers on top of renewals and follow-ups. I'm not pitching, I want to learn where their current setup falls short. Happy to send a two-line blurb you can forward. Thanks, [your name]. Use this when a friend mentions a specific owner, since owners and principals usually make the buying call at small agencies.

6. A post for your personal Facebook or LinkedIn

Post: I'm building a CRM for independent insurance agents, the people who shop your policy across multiple carriers. This month I want to talk to 10 agency owners, producers or CSRs about how they handle renewals, X-dates and cross-selling. If your agent is great, or you have a family member in the business, could you tag them or send me their name? 15 minutes, no pitch. Thank you. Use this after your direct messages, so it reaches the friends of friends you didn't think to ask.

7. The thank-you and follow-up

Subject: Thanks, I talked to [agent name] Hi [name], I spoke with [agent name] yesterday. Really useful. They told me [one specific thing, e.g. renewals still get tracked in an Excel sheet next to their AMS]. Thanks for making that happen. If you think of any other agents, even at a different agency, I'd love another intro. [your name]. Send this within 24 hours of each call, because a specific thank-you is what gets you the second intro. If you'd rather not run this by hand, Hulby can draft and track these intro asks for you every day.

Mistakes to skip

  • Saying "insurance people" instead of independent agents, which gets you captive State Farm or Allstate reps who can't choose their own software.
  • Making the friend write the intro instead of giving them a blurb to paste.
  • Pitching a demo in the first message instead of asking for 15 minutes of advice.
  • Never telling the friend how the call went, which kills the next intro.

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Questions

How many friends should I message?

Start with 20 people you know well. Expect a handful of intros, and each good call can lead to more.

Who should I ask to talk to at an agency?

Talk to the owner or principal for buying decisions. Talk to producers and CSRs to learn the daily workflow pain.

Should I mention pricing?

No. Learn how they work first. Bring up pricing only if they ask or want to try it.

What if my friends don't know any agents?

Ask who handles their home or car insurance. Most people have an agent and don't count them as a contact.